Because loose-fill insulation is a monolithic layer of insulation without seams like are found in batts, studies have shown that loose-fill insulation performs up to 22% better than batts of the same R value.

Materials are noncombustible, and remain so for the life of the product. They require no additional fire-retardant chemical treatments here

Cellulose is a natural safe product. When properly installed, fiberglass is considered safe. And because it is made with glass it doesn't burn or absorb water. However, being glass, there are a few precautions you should take when being around it or handling it. When fiberglass insulation is moved or disturbed, it releases tiny particles into the air

Fiberglass and cellulose are both used for thermal insulation and come in a range of r-values.

No long-term health effects should occur from touching fiberglass. Eyes may become red and irritated after exposure to fiberglass. Soreness in the nose and throat can result when fibers are inhaled. Asthma and bronchitis can be aggravated by exposure to fiberglass.

A closer inspection indicates this gray puffy material has no minerals, but appears like gray shredded paper. This means cellulose insulation does not contain asbestos and is a safe insulation, blown into the cavities

The preferred method of removing blown in insulation is by machine, using a vacuum process to suck the insulation out of the attic. This is the most efficient option and can save both time and money.

Although cellulose insulation is treated to be water-resistant, it is not waterproof. If your insulation gets wet, you need to act quickly. Excessive moisture causes the cellulose to sag and settle, an effect that is especially detrimental in wall cavities.

When installed by professionals, it can often be completely recovered and reused on-site, leaving hardly any excess material to go to waste. Special machines used in the blown-in process allow extra material to be vacuumed up and blown back in on-site or salvaged for future installation

In general, blown-in cellulose insulation, surprisingly, is not found moldy." Both fiberglass and rockwool insulation (inorganic materials) have been tested. In the rockwool insulation tests showed enough nutrients to keep mold spores alive, probably from dust in the mineral fibers.

But from a health perspective, wet insulation is a prime candidate for mold growth. Indoor mold can be very dangerous for a home's occupants. At best, mold caused by moisture in your attic crawl space can make allergy symptoms worse.

Connect the hose to the blown-in insulation machine. Then feed 1/2 a bag of fill into the machine and turn on the hose to start blowing the insulation.

This insulation is named after its application; it involves filling stud or joist cavities, or covering an attic floor, with your chosen loose material. A small team comes to your home and one team member will use a blower hose to spray the fluffy insulation material across the floor and into cavities while another feeds the fiberglass mineral wool into a unit below the attic or outside the home. They’ll continue to spread the fiberglass wool until the cavities are filled or there is an even coating of the wool across the attic floor to a certain thickness

You may add insulation to your walls without removing it by cutting holes into the siding. You can blow spray foam or cellulose into the walls from outside. Just cut a 1 inch to 4-inch hole between the studs at the top of the wall and then spray the insulation into the hole using a hose

The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to R-38 or about 10 to 14 inches, depending on insulation type

The cellulose is blown into the attic or walls through long, flexible tubes that run from the blower to an application nozzle. The cellulose is allowed to fill the cavities or blanket existing insulation. No pressure is placed on the cellulose; it is allowed to settle over time. Walls are patched up and painted over

Cellulose: For eco-minded homeowners, cellulose is often the insulation of choice, because it's made from finely shredded recycled cardboard or newspaper. This is the most common type of blown-in insulation on the market, and it's chemically treated to resist mold and fire.

The cost of blown-in insulation in an attic ranges from around $600 to around $1,200 per 1,000 square feet. This includes around 10 to 14 inches of insulation, achieving an insulation value of around R-30.

The first thing to determine is if your lights are IC rated or not. If they are not, it is not safe to have insulation directly in contact with the light. Your best bet is to replace the lights before proceeding with blow-in insulation.